1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a vacuum cleaner. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a cyclone dust-separating apparatus of a vacuum cleaner, which draws in an external air and then separates dust or dirt therefrom.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a cyclone dust-separating apparatus provided in a vacuum cleaner is an apparatus, which whirls air laden with dirt or dust and separates the dirt or dust therefrom. Such a cyclone dust-separating apparatus has been recently widely used because it can be semi-permanently used without any inconvenience of frequently replacing dust bags.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,350,292, a cyclone dust-separating apparatus usually has a cyclone unit vertically and elongately installed, a cyclone body with an air inlet and an air outlet formed at a side and a top thereof, and a dust bin connected to a bottom part of the cyclone unit. Accordingly, external air is drawn in through the side of the cyclone body and lowered while being swirled therein, and dirt or dust removed from the air is collected in the dust bin. However, such a conventional cyclone dust-separating apparatus requires forming the dust bin in a relatively small size because the cyclone unit has large height. As a result, the conventional cyclone dust-separating apparatus is inconvenient to use, in that the dirt or dust collected in the dust bin should be frequently dumped.
In addition, Korean Patent Publication No. 412,583 discloses a cyclone dust-separating apparatus of an upright cleaner, in which a dust bin is coupled to a bottom end of a cyclone unit, the diameter of the former being equal to that of the latter. External air drawn into the cyclone unit through a side of the cyclone unit is lowered while whirling within an internal space of the dust bin as well as within an internal space of the cyclone unit. Accordingly, such a conventional cyclone dust-separating apparatus is disadvantageous in that because the cyclone unit is vertically arranged, the capacity of the dust bin is relatively small. Furthermore, there is a problem in that because the air whirling within the cyclone unit is lowered to the internal space of the dust bin, the dust stored within the dust bin is entrained by the swirling air and flows backward to the cyclone unit.